WCC’s Country Park Rangers were joined by local residents and Councillors on Sunday 13 March, who came along to Kingsbury Water Park to help finish off this season’s planned tree planting.
Residents, Country Park Rangers, and WCC Councillors Andy Jenns and Heather Timms donned their wellies and picked up spades to plant fourteen grown native woodland trees, marking the end of the third successful season of the tree planting scheme.
The WCC team were joined by local families, with a total of 35 people joining in with the fun. With the help of local schools, volunteer groups and individuals, over 100 trees have been planted this season and the area is quickly evolving into a vibrant young woodland. Approximately 160 native woodland trees will be planted each year, until an area of 3.5 acres has been covered.
The Country Parks Team have teamed up with Briers Waste Management Ltd, who currently manage the waste from all parks in the north of the county, to plant Silver Birch, Cherry, English Oak and Field Maple trees, to name just a few of the species that will capture harmful carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The tree planting scheme aims to help capture the carbon emissions created by the waste generated at the parks, whilst at the same time giving local schools and communities an opportunity to get involved and learn about carbon capture and the importance of biodiversity.
The amount of carbon dioxide that a tree will offset depends on a variety of factors such as the species of tree and where it is planted. On average one tree can be expected to absorb approximately one tonne of CO2 over the span of 100 years.
Trees also bring a welcome boost to biodiversity, providing habitat and nutrition for a wide range of species. According to the Woodland Trust, oak trees alone support 2,300 species, 326 of which are entirely dependent on oak trees for their survival.
The COVID-19 Pandemic and poor weather over the last two years have created obstacles to achieving the goals of the scheme, however the team of rangers has risen to the challenge and kept the project on track.
Councillor Heather Timms, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate and Culture, said: “The important role played by trees, both in capturing harmful carbon emissions from our atmosphere and providing habitation for local wildlife, cannot be understated.
“It’s a real pleasure to see the passion for our natural environment demonstrated by local volunteers, joining together with our fantastic Country Parks Rangers, to help foster a sustainable world for generations to come.
“According to the Woodlands Trust, we need to plant millions more trees across the country if we are to meet our national net-zero target. At Warwickshire County Council, we have made a commitment to plant a tree for each resident in the County, which equates to over 500,000 trees.
“The response to the climate crisis will require a concerted effort by each and every one of us, making changes, large and small, to reverse the damage that we have done to our planet and its ecosystems.”
The planting of trees this year is also important for The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC), a unique national tree-planting initiative to celebrate Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee. Anyone from individuals, schools, and community groups to businesses and organisations can get involved in planting a tree for the Jubilee, or mark the occasion with a physical or virtual commemorative plaque.
The best time to plant a tree is during the traditional British planting season, which happens from early October to the end of March each year. To get involved in planting a tree over the next few weeks during peak planting season, or to set-up a commemorative plaque for the QGC, visit https://queensgreencanopy.org/get-involved/, and remember to add your tree to the QGC map which will be presented to Her Majesty the Queen as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations: https://queensgreencanopy.org/map-education-hub/qgc-map/#/
To find out more about Warwickshire’s Country Parks, visit: https://countryparks.warwickshire.gov.uk/
For more information about how Warwickshire is facing the challenges of climate change, visit: www.warwickshireclimatemergency.org.uk